Ostracon with Workmen's Identity Marks
Unknown Artist
ca. 1390–1352 B.C.
Medium
Limestone, ink, paint
Dimensions
L. 13.8 × H. 9 × D. 4.5 cm (5 7/16 × 3 9/16 × 1 3/4 in.)
Classification
Ostracon, hieroglyphic, workmen's identity markers
Period
New Kingdom
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Theodore M. Davis, 1909
Accession Number
09.184.700
Art Historical Context
Step into the bustling world of ancient Egypt with this unassuming yet revealing *Ostracon with Workmen's Identity Marks*, to around 1390–1352 B.C. during the New Kingdom's Dynasty 20–21 Crafted from a modest limestone fragment—measuring just 13.8 × 9 × 4.5 cm—this object was inscribed with ink and paint, serving as a practical notepad for laborers. Unlike grand monuments, ostraca like this were scraps reused for quick writings, offering a rare glimpse into the daily grind of ancient workers. In the hierarchical society of the New Kingdom, these identity marks were vital for tomb builders and...